Born and raised in Australia, she lives on Martha’s Vineyard with her husband, the author Tony Horwitz. She has also written the acclaimed nonfiction works Nine Parts of Desire and Foreign Correspondence. Geraldine Brooks is the author of four novels, the Pulitzer Prize-winning March and the international bestsellers Caleb’s Crossing, People of the Book, and Year of Wonders. “The best historical fiction… Brooks gives the whole king his due… It’s a tall order to breathe life into such a human being, and she manages it admirably.” -NPR “A compelling read, contemporary in its relevance… powerful storytelling, its landscape and time evoked in lyrical prose.” - The Guardian Brooks offers new perspectives on a character whose story has captured the Western imagination for millennial… she breaks from the biblical version by giving voice to the voiceless women in David’s life: wives and lovers, a daughter, a mother-the beloved and the scorned.” -The Boston Globe Now out in paperback, The Secret Chord traces the arc of King David's journey from obscurity to fame, from shepherd to soldier, from hero to traitor, from beloved king to murderous despot and into his remorseful and diminished dotage.

Many versions change the lyrics, especially Christian versions that tone down all the ambiguities of the song.Pulitzer Prize winning author Geraldine Brooks will join us to read and sign copies of her most recent novel, The Secret Chord.

11 12 In 2016, Brooks visited Israel, as part of a project by the 'Breaking the Silence' organization, to write an article for a book on the Israeli occupation, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War. It is today emblematic and figures among a multitude of film soundtracks and television shows. The Secret Chord (2015) is a historical novel based on the life of the biblical King David in the Second Iron Age. Since then, the song was covered over 300 times.

Buckley’s version went on to become the most well-known recording of the song. Jeff Buckley heard Cale’s version and did his own cover on his 1994 album Grace. He used the modified lyrics, based on Cohen’s 1988 live version. However, it was covered by John Cale, in 1991, for a tribute album. The song wasn’t all that popular when it first came out. Cohen addresses God: “But you don’t really care for music, do you?”įor others, we talk about the evolution of a relationship through a metaphor that mixes sex and religion.Ĭohen originally wrote around 80 verses of the song, and used a different selection of the verses in the original recording and in a 1988 live performance. King David’s “hallelujah,” in the book of Psalms, is said to have pleased the Lord. By some interpretations, Cohen is in an argument with God.

The secret chord author